In copending application Ser. No. 535,924 filed Sept. 26, 1983 by D. E. Heckaman et al, entitled "Miniaturized Microwave Transmission Link", and assigned to the assignee of the present application now U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,140, issued Feb. 3, 1987, there is described a pair of recently developed transmission links for intercoupling miniaturized integrated circuit components, in particular microwave circuit components. A first of these links, termed tunnelline, comprises an insulation-jacketed small diameter conductor that lies atop a conductive (ground plane) surface and is covered by a thin metallic foil which forms a "tunnel" through which the center conductor passes; hence, the name tunnelline. The opposite ends of the conductor are connected to the signal ports of components to be intercoupled, while the surrounding conductive material of the "tunnel" provides the shielding/ground plane of the transmission link.
The second type of link, termed channelline, is configured of an insulation-jacketed conductor disposed in a trough or "channel" provided in the surface of a relatively thin metallic plate. Atop the channel is a conductive foil overlay, so that the bottom and side walls of the channel together with the metallic foil provide a conductive shield/ground plane for the center conductor. On the opposite side of the channelled plate, there may be provided a distribution of components, such as microwave antenna elements. Apertures through the plate and intersecting the channels provide through-hole connection points for the channelline center conductor to the antenna elements. The "thinness" of the channelled plate on which the channelline-connected antenna elements are disposed makes the structure particularly suit for conformal applications, such as antenna arrays for high performance aircraft.